I ran my fingers through my hair and laughed. “Because you two convinced me you would plan it, since I had to work. I was working to protect this pack, to make it money, while you two were supposed to be planning OUR mating ceremony.” I laughed. “I’m an idiot. I’m honestly disappointed in myself because I actually believed the two of you. But you were fucking lying the entire time. You were never planning our mating ceremony. You were busy planning your own.” I laughed again and I wiped the tears from my face. I yelled so everyone heard. “I was too blinded by the bullshit you were feeding me.I love you Amy. I want to be with you, Amy.Lies. All of them were lies.”
“Amy please.” Brandon grabbed for me but I pushed him away and let my tears fall faster.
“No.” I yelled at him, catching everyone by surprise. Brandon blinked his eyes a few times, surprised by my outburst. “You promised me you wouldn’t hurt me. You swore you wouldn’t ever cheat. But look at you now.”
“Amy.” He tried again but I let out a sob.
“I trusted you!” I screamed out and more people filed out to watch. “You chased me. You told me you loved me. And now I’m somehow competing for a place by your side with my own fucking sister.” He grabbed for me again, but I swatted at him. “I’m done.” I pushed back, then turned to Shannon. “He’s all yours. Take my mate, take my mating ceremony, take myposition.” I saw triumph on her face and had to hold back my cackle. I turned back to a pale Brandon. “I’m done.”
I slammed the door behind me and put my back against it. I allowed a few more sobs to escape my mouth before I let a smile dance across my lips. I grabbed the box of letters and I walked up the stairs, sealing the house with a few words as I went. I’d get to the letters later, but right now, I had a little girl wanting to spend some time with me.
I grabbed the box full of Rick’s mutterings and managed to finagle the doors open to the cabin. I put the box of my letters on my bed, promising myself that I would read them tonight. Or at least a few of them before I carried Rick’s box down the stairs.
I looked around and found…no one. “Hello?” I dropped the box on the living room floor and then I headed outside. “Hello?”
“Punch. Kick. Twist under. Good!” I heard my mom calling out and I turned the corner, only to see my mom training Carly. Toya and Wendy were sparring with each other a little off to the side, but Carly was red faced and smiling.
I watched for a few minutes, watching her form and listening to her little grunts. It brought me back to when my dad was training me. “Kick baby girl. Higher. Good.” His smile always made me feel like I’d overcome a mountain.
Carly was cheering as she landed a high kick. “I did it!” I clapped, and she whirled. “Amy!” She ran over to me and jumped into my arms. “Did you see? Did you see me?”
I hugged her close for a moment before putting her back down. "I did! You did really great."
She looked between my mom and me. “Are you ready to do paperwork?” She looked antsy, like she had to pee. I just laughed.
“Go finish your training. I can work by myself until you’re finished.” I tugged on her hair.
She bit her lip. “Are you sure? I did promise to help you.” She bounced on her toes.
I dropped down into a crouch. “I’m sure. Training is important. Paperwork can wait.”
Still, she looked unsure. “But paperwork is important.”
I pinched her cheek. “It is, but I can handle it on my own for a little while. Now, get back to grandma Ainsley and finish your training.” I leaned in and kissed her forehead before I stood back up and I pushed her back to my mom.
She looked at me and I watched her eyes tighten. ‘You okay?’ she mouthed. I nodded and turned back to the house. “One second baby.” I heard footsteps running after me, and my mom spun me around. “I know you said you’re okay, but your eyes are red and puffy.”
I smiled. “I had to give a little performance, that’s all.” I kissed her cheek. “I’m okay. Really. Go back to Carly. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
She looked at me for a moment before she agreed. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.” I nodded before I went back inside. I grabbed a quick drink of water, then went back into the living room and dug into the box.
I pulled everything out and started to organize again, but this time I took a different approach. I sorted the code from random mutterings. I didn’t read anything. I just focused on separating code from not code.
I don’t know how long I was there, but everyone came in after a while. Carly came over. “What can I do?”
I pulled her next to me. “You can do what I’m doing so that I can start reading.” I pulled out two pieces of paper. “This one.” I showed her a line of code. “See how it has these random squiggles that aren’t letters and random numbers?”
“Yeah.” She looked at the paper.
I showed her the second paper. “And this one is just a random sentence.”
“Yeah.” She looked between the two piles. “So the weird stuff goes in one, and the normal words in another?” She looked back at me to make sure she was right.
“Exactly.” I pushed the big stack over to her and her eyes grew round.
“Holy.” She looked over the papers and then back to the other piles. “Okay!” She started in and I pulled the code to me.
